The world’s largest canvas painting, which was created by British painter Sacha Jafri, has sold for a whopping 228 million dirham ($62 million), making it one of the most expensive artworks ever to be auctioned.
Called ‘The Journey of Humanity,’ the work measures over 17,000 square feet and is approximately equal to four NBA-regulation basketball courts. It was created by Jafri in a ballroom at the Atlantis The Palm hotel in Dubai, where Jafri was based when the United Arab Emirates introduced lockdown measures to control the spread of Covid-19 last year.
The astounding art work, which took seven months to complete, was confirmed by the Guinness World Records as the largest art canvas.
The painting features abstract brushwork and drip-painting in a style that Jafri calls “magical realism.” The canvas was divided into four connected parts, with the first one representing “the soul of the Earth,” and the others representing nature, humanity and the wider universe, Jafri said.
The work was created to raise money for children across the world suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, The Global Gift Foundation, and Dubai Cares for programs related to children’s education, health care, sanitation and digital connectivity.
It was bought by Dubai-based businessman Andre Abdoune, who is the chief executive of Altius Gestion International Holding – a cryptocurrency business.
Jafri had initially cut the work in 70 framed sections and aimed to sell them separately. However, Abdoune bought all of sections at a price doubled of what was expected.
Abdoune, the artwork’s new owner, said in a press statement that the “investment and love” Jafri put into the painting was “so amazing.”
“All my life I was aiming to help children,” he said. “When I was a child, I had nothing to eat. Now I have something to eat. We all have to do something.”
“The painting was very powerful when I saw it, and, for me, it would have been a mistake to separate the pieces,” said the former stock trader Abdoune.
“At the beginning of my ‘Humanity Inspired’ initiative, I had a vision to reconnect our broken planet through the hearts, minds and souls of the children of the world,” Jafri is quoted as saying after the work was auctioned. “I feel in my heart that we have come one step closer to achieving this tonight, thanks to Andre.”
Isn’t this just a stellar achievement? Let us know what you think about this in the comments section below.
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